LRSD News

Due to power outages resulting from last night's inclement weather the following LRSD campuses are closed.

• Brady Elementary (as of 1:30 PM)
• Felder Academy (as of 1:30 PM)
• Forest Park Elementary
• Jefferson Elementary
• Henderson Middle
• Hall High

Students and Staff are not to be on these campuses today. They are closed.

Forest Park Elementary recently welcomed Minnijean Brown Trickey for a visit and question-and-answer session. Mrs. Trickey, one of the Little Rock Nine who integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957, spoke to students in 3rd - 5th grades about the trials and tribulations of the Crisis at Central High.

During Black History Month, one of the assignments for the 3rd grade classes was to write an essay and make a poster about an important African American. One student, Adriana Rabell (shown in photo with Mrs. Trickey), chose Mrs. Trickey as the topic of her essay. When her family went to the Little Rock Central High School Museum and Visitor Center to do some research, they met Phyllis Brown, Mrs. Trickey's sister. They asked if Mrs. Minnijean Brown Trickey would consider speaking to the students at Forest Park, and she happily agreed.

What's the difference between an athlete and a "M-ath"lete?

Athletes spend hours upon hours training their bodies to perform to the best of their ability at sports. "M-ath"letes spend hours upon hours training their brains to perform to the best of their ability at math!

Jason Crader at Carver Magnet Elementary created the “M-ath”letes Challenge five years ago for students in grades 3 through 5 as a fun way to practice as a team for the annual Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program (ACTAAP) exam. The competition is open to all elementary schools in the Little Rock School District. Many schools also have created spinoff programs to help their students prepare for the math section of the ACTAAP. About 130 students participated this year in the official "M-ath"letes Challenge competition, but hundreds more competed in similar competitions at their own schools.

Students participate by working collaboratively to complete a 40-question exam in two 20-minute intervals during each round.

Twenty-six teams took part in the competition, which is composed of three rounds. In round one the field is narrowed down to 10 teams. Round two narrows it down even more to the top five, and then the champion is crowned in the third and final round, which is held at UALR.

Congratulations to the five teams who earned finalist standing in this year's "M-ath"letes competition:

Carver Magnet Elementary -- 40 points
Rockefeller Elementary -- 39 points
Fulbright Elementary Team 2 -- 38 points
Fulbright Elementary Team 1 -- 37 points
Forest Park Elementary -- 35 points